According to DVD commentary for the episode, getting guest stars was extremely hard because many kept dropping out. They also wrote parts for 4 different musical groups (including The Rolling Stones) before finally getting the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is parodied in the episode, with Elizabeth Taylor opting out of appearing on Krusty's reunion show.
The members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers that appear in this episode are Anthony Kiedis(Vocals), Chad Smith(Drums), Flea(Bass), and Arik Marshall(Guitar). This episode aired not long after the departure of guitarist John Frusciante, who spent the next few years deep in a heroin addiction. After this episode, the Chili Peppers went through a series of guitar players, including Jane Addiction's Dave Navarro, before reuniting with Frusciante to record 1999's "Californication." Fruciante departed from the Red Hot Chili Peppers again ten years after the release of "Californication" and was replaced by their current guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.
Even though Flea is the bassist, he is seen playing a normal guitar.
They have eyebrows, which is very unusual for Simpsons characters.
When they enter Moe's Tavern after being on Krusty's show and they greet him, you can hear Flea say "Heeeey MOE!" in a weird voice.
In the Latin American dub of this episode, Luke Perry was renamed as fellow actor Robert Redford, as producers in Latin America did not think the public would know who Luke Perry was. This added to the confusion when the Peephole magazine is shown, displaying Perry's name.[citation needed]
Citations
Rocky - The scene where Krusty punches the pork is a reference to the training style of Rocky Balboa, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky films.
Ed Sullivan and The Doors ā The scene in which Krusty instructs the Red Hot Chili Peppers to change the lyrics to the song "Give It Away" is a reference to Sullivan instructing The Doors to change the lyrics to the song "Light My Fire". Unlike the Doors, the Chili Peppers happily accept the new lyric. The dressing room scenery is also very similar to the mise-en-scene in The Doors movie.
Red Hot Chili Peppers-Krusty attempting to humiliate the chili peppers by making them preform in their underwear is a reference to how they used to preform naked. They weren't embarrassed by this and even showed up to the party at Moe's Tavern in their underwear.
Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special ā The Krusty Komeback Special is styled exactly like The King's prime-time special, aimed at getting him back into the spotlight after a sabbatical.
The Hollywood Squares ā The Springfield Squares is an obvious parody. The final moments of the segment, where a tidal wave knocks a stubborn Charley Weaver from his lower-left square (he had refused to leave, while the others fled), is a reference to an earthquake that shook up a 1971 taping of Squares and center square Paul Lynde remaining in his spot while everyone else ran off the stage. The Springfield Squares taping "on location" is much akin to the 1986 version frequently taping at outdoor locations in Florida.
Simpsons vs. Cosby Show: Gabbo and Kruty the Clown Show.
Carmen - Johnny Carson balances a Buick Skylark car over his head while singing the famous aria Habanera.
"Peter and the Wolf" ā The musical piece that Hugh Hefner plays on the wine glasses is from the children's story composed by Sergei Prokofiev.
People magazine - imagined by Krusty as Peephole Magazine when trying to visualize Luke Perry's new look after he is shot out of a cannon.
"That ought to hold the little bastards" urban legend ā Gabbo's statement referring to his audience as "little SOBs" (which is caught on live air, thanks to Bart) ā and later, Kent Brockman's comment when he thought the station had cut to a commercial break ā is a reference to this broadcasting urban legend.[2] The incident said to have inspired the urban legend had a children's radio (or television, depending on the source) host ending a program, then unaware the microphone was still live, uttered the infamous line, resulting in his near-immediate dismissal.
The Tonight Show ā When Krusty rings Johhny Carson's doorbell, the doorbell theme is the theme of The Tonight Show. Bette Midler serenading Krusty is the way Bette sang to Johnny Carson on Carson's next-to-last show. Their duet, however, is likely a reference to Midler's 1977 duet with Tom Waits on "I Never Talk To Strangers," which appeared on Waits' album Foreign Affairs.
Gabbo References
Greta Garbo ā Mr. Burns misreads a billboard, causing him to tell Smithers that "Garbo is coming" and lightly groom himself.
The Great Gabbo ā Gabbo gets his name from the title character (a ventriloquist who operates a dummy named Otto) of the 1929 film.
Howdy Doody ā Gabbo's face looks just like the famous dummy (red hair, freckles), who hosted an afternoon children's program from 1947-1960.
Pinocchio ā The lyric "You're gonna like me" in Gabbo's theme song ā as well as the newspaper headline "Gabbo to have real boy operation" ā are references to the 1940 Disney film.
The Channel 4 airings have the following scenes cut:
The part during Hollywood Squares in which the lifeguard warns everyone that a tidal wave is coming.
The Gabbo crank call on Krusty is missing the line about Krusty thinking the call is about the porno film he did.
A strange cut during the scene of Bart trying to get Gabbo into trouble: the first instance of Gabbo calling the children "Little SOB's" was kept in, but all other instances of the word was cut, including the scene of Kent Brockman muttering, "That oughta hold those SOBs," making it look like he got into trouble and fired for doing a news report on Gabbo cursing.
